


Turning of the Tides

by GenericUsername01



Series: PRIDE MONTH [15]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, M/M, Set in the late 1800s, The Enterprise is an old wooden sea ship, merman spock, pride month writing prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-27 18:56:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15031130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenericUsername01/pseuds/GenericUsername01
Summary: Prompt: AcceptanceJim meets a merman who happens to be the most beautiful creature he’s ever seen. Naturally, he decides to roll with it.





	Turning of the Tides

One minute Jim is climbing the rigging of the main mast in a storm, desperate to re-furl the sails before they capsize, and the next he hears Bones shout and suddenly he is underwater, plunging in headfirst like a knife, with no memory of the transition. 

It's dark and riotous and so, so cold and Jim can't breathe, he's struggling, can't tell if he's swimming up or down, and this is how he's going to die--

A strong arm wraps around his middle and tugs him roughly, but they're still so far away and it's such a long swim and everything goes black.

For a second, Jim feels blessedly warm.

* * *

Something strong and hard hits him in the chest, and Jim gasps, choking and coughing and he turns over onto his side and heaves out seawater, gagging on it in the process. A hand thumps against his back a few times harshly, and Jim collapses back onto the wet sand.

He turns bleary, tired eyes onto his rescuer.

It's a man, shirtless and dripping and flushed green like the sea. Slits of skin fan and flare along his ribs. The skin of his hips blends into green scales, a tail at least a foot longer than human legs are, not even counting the massive fins at the end. His ears taper up into points, eyebrows slanting perpetually upward rather than curving down. Even his lips are tinged green instead of pink, and Jim has an almost overwhelming urge to taste them.

The merman says nothing, just looks at him, propped up on his hands and tail splayed out behind him.

"Thank you," Jim breathes. "You saved my life. I owe you everything. My name is Jim, Jim Kirk. What's yours?"

"Spock," the merman says, and Jim feels a thrill of warmth run through him. He wonders how he missed his eyes. They're as warm and expressive as any Jim has ever seen, a dark fathomless brown, and yet so carefully shuttered off. Unacceptable.

He looks around and seems to just now realize he's on a deserted island, the HMS Enterprise nowhere in sight.

Shit.

"Where are we?" he asks. "Why did you bring me here?"

"We call this place Vulcan," Spock said. "It is our home."

Jim scrambled up into a seated position. "Why didn't you just return me to my ship?"

"I wished to save your life. I did not wish to lose my own in the process," he said. "My people are aware of yours and your ways. I have heard many tales of what happens to captured merfolk. It is not a fate I wish to suffer."

Jim shook his head. "I can't stay here. I need to get back. Those are my people. My ship."

Spock nodded. "As you wish."

He flipped around and started wriggling back towards the ocean.

"Wait!" Jim said. "Wait! Will I ever see you again?"

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Would you wish to?"

"Well, yeah."

"Why?"

Jim frowned. "Why wouldn't I? You saved my life despite great risk to yourself. You seem like an amazing person. I would love to get to know you better. And," he chuckled, "it looks like I'm stuck here until I can build a small boat, or at least a raft. So we may as well keep each other company. Right?"

Spock fixed him with his searing gaze. "That is logical."

And Jim grinned.


End file.
